Shining Tavern

Chapter 25 Shining Tavern (Please continue reading)

As white smoke rose, Li Wei stomped his foot, and his whole body suddenly exploded!

Transformed into an arrow released from a bow, the knight's longsword pierced the void.

Golden Cross Slash!

The power of vibration!

Geek!

The burly man holding the knife instantly felt the web of his hand holding it crack from the shock, and the violent tremor almost made him drop the knife.

"This is... a quasi-knight!"

"You're a prospective knight too!"

"How is this possible? How could there be such a young aspiring knight in this remote place?"

The burly man was incredulous. Although the boy was physically imposing, his face revealed that he was not very old, at most seventeen or eighteen.

Such young prospective knights are either disciples of high-ranking nobles with abundant resources, or truly gifted individuals.

"Aren't you scared too?" Li Wei grinned.

With a backhand strike, the sword shattered the burly man's already inferior, rusty woodcutter's knife, the blade snapping off.

The burly man stared dumbfounded at the broken blade.

In that moment of hesitation, Li Wei's sword had already pierced through the strong man's simple cloth armor, plunged into his chest, and tore him to pieces.

Then, Li Wei drew his sword and stood there; all of this happened in the blink of an eye.

The other bandits were shocked that Li Wei would kill their leader so quickly. They had witnessed his strength firsthand. Under his leadership, they had successfully carried out several robberies, although they were all small-scale and targeted poor civilians who didn't have much to offer. But their leader had left an invincible impression on them.

Therefore, when the leader decided to establish the Wild Grass Gang and was determined to develop in this area, they all agreed without hesitation.

Now that their leader's body was lying in the snowmelt, they panicked and scattered like birds and beasts.

Li Wei naturally wouldn't let it go. Since they dared to rob him, they should be prepared to die.

After a few arrows, all those who tried to run were hit and killed, falling to the ground in the snow. Those who survived, seeing that there was no way to escape, prostrated themselves on the spot and began to beg Li Wei for forgiveness.

"Sir Knight, please don't kill us! We're just ordinary people, trying to make a living."

"I didn't mean to kill you, I just wanted to steal the rations on your back to fill my stomach, really, God be with you, please believe me!"

"You can't kill me! I have a blind wife to support, please!"

These people chatted amongst themselves, their eyes revealing an intense desire to live, as if the teenager in front of them was the terrifying Grim Reaper.

"Let's go," Li Wei said calmly, his eyes flickering.

"Thank you, you're a good person."

"We will never dare to do it again."

These people were filled with doubt and uncertainty, but in the end they turned around and started running.

Li Wei stared at them with cold eyes and began to draw his bow.

……

On the snow, Li Wei gathered some dry firewood, piled the thirteen corpses together, and lit a roaring fire with a flint.

"May the flames warm your afterlife."

Li Wei muttered to himself, his tone gentle and calm.

Of the thirteen bandits, the youngest was about the same age as him, still a child.

Li Wei believed that most of them told the truth before they died, as it is difficult for people to lie when they are in extreme fear.

But what does this have to do with Li Wei?

If one doesn't possess the strength, then one might be the one whose body is destroyed and the evidence erased.

There may be various reasons why these people turned to banditry, but the most important reason is that this chaotic and dark era created them.

But they died for only one reason: they wanted to harm Li Wei.

In the end, after Li Wei had collected a dozen or so silver coins from these poor people, he continued on his way.

Before long, he arrived in Icewind City.

From afar, he saw the colossal, silver-white city nestled among the mountains, and in the center of the city stood the most striking pure white Church of Holy Radiance, with a touch of Gothic style.

"It's really nice. It's just as good as the Flower City in my father's Tulip Territory. The Flower City is exquisite and gorgeous, while this Icewind City is magnificent and has a distinct northern style."

After showing his pass, Li Wei entered the city without any problems.

Compared to the desolate and quiet Blackwater Valley, with a total population of no more than a thousand.

Icewind City is incredibly lively, according to incomplete official statistics.

The permanent population of Icewind City alone numbers in the hundreds of thousands.

Add to that the undocumented immigrants, itinerant merchants, and travelers, and Icewind City's population is no less than that.

Of course, this cannot be compared with the modern cities of the past with populations of millions or tens of millions, but it is still far superior to the early medieval Europe with a similar level of productivity.

However, this is understandable, given that the area of ​​this Emerald Kingdom is many times larger than that of Europe.

Without delay, Li Wei took his luggage and headed straight to the largest merchant guild in Icewind City: the Jade Merchant Guild.

Being able to bear the name of jade, this merchant guild is naturally not simple. It has the backing of the royal family and the shadow of several grand dukes, such as the Duke of Montenegro.

To become a shareholder in the Jade Merchants' Guild, one must at least hold the rank of Earl.

Therefore, this was a super merchant guild established by a coalition of nobles, which almost monopolized all industries in the Jade Kingdom.

The one in Icewind City is just a branch; the headquarters is in Emerald City.

Li Wei touched the heavy gold coins in his pocket and felt a little more at ease. He now had several hundred gold coins, which made him quite wealthy.

"Hello, do you have ambergris?" Li Wei asked.

He wasn't worried about being recognized. He was just an insignificant lord in the North. There was no internet in this era, and he hadn't made a name for himself. Who would know him?

When the staff of the Chamber of Commerce heard that the customer was asking about ambergris, they knew that he was a wealthy man and most likely a knight who practiced breathing techniques. They were used to this.

"Excuse me, sir, we don't have ambergris in stock right now. If you'd like... hey, don't go! You can look at other things."

Li Wei's figure had disappeared on the street.

"Fortunately, I was mentally prepared. If even the Jade Merchant Guild doesn't have ambergris, then there's only one place in the entire Icewind City that might have it. If that place doesn't have it either, then I'll just go home and grind for it slowly. It'll just take a little more time."

Li Wei casually bought a white wolf mask at a gift shop, put it on, and wandered through the streets and alleys. Finally, amidst the melodious sounds of a harp, playful whistles, and the boisterous laughter of men drinking, he arrived at a cozy little tavern. The tavern's dim lights shone in the evening, and through the windows, he could see a roaring fireplace inside. A wooden sign above the tavern's entrance read:

"Shining Tavern"

"Today's admission ticket: Lion King Spirits".

"Come, my friend, drink this Lion King spirit, and may your future shine as brightly as the Lionheart Knight!"

At the entrance of the tavern, a burly man stood there. Everyone who entered had to pay one gold coin to buy a cup of exorbitantly priced Lion King liquor, and then drink it to prove their wealth and courage.

Because this dazzling tavern, on the surface, is a tavern, but in reality, it is an underground trading market.

Commonly known as: Black Market.

...Divider line...

Extremely Important: This book has been recommended in the first round of the competition. Your reading progress over the next week will determine whether it advances in the competition. If it fails to advance, this book will be relegated to obscurity, essentially losing all exposure, which would mean its demise. Please, everyone, be sure to keep reading! Finally, thank you to Xi Yuan for the 100-point reward.

(End of this chapter)